I have a new home and am settled in to the new waitressing job. The former gives me more pleasure needless to say, but waking up to natural light pouring into the elegantly furnished sitting room more than prepares me for the trials of the latter. My first days off in the flat had to be spent baking, just so I could break in the kitchen and get my culinary bearings for a summer of food.
Having wound my way through a new supermarket (hate that lost sensation, and why doesn't ASDA put all its baking items together? It's nuts) and having found a cute little recipe in Olive Magazine which flavours the pastry with thyme and smoked paprika I set about my first quiche Lorraine.
Ah, pastry. Very satisfying to make, not always a dream to cook. A tip for first time bakers, don't use a spring based tin for your first quiche. Use a proper tart tin and avoid the leak that happened with mine! Still it was caught in time and hurriedly encased in foil which held everything together. Not my most attractive dish but the filling was wonderful. Turns out you really can't go wrong with cream, eggs, gruyère and pancetta gently baked. The pancetta came from Jamie Oliver's range, looks like his world domination plan advances with confidence. It works, light, sweet and piggy, perfect for this dish. And at £2.38 for 180g it's good value as my one meat purchase this week. It passed the roommate test (going back for seconds) and tasted many times better than that which can be purchased in a supermarket. Make the real thing and you realise that satisfying, filling sensation you're getting is from the cream. Replace it with milk or water or whatever these places are using to thicken the eggs and you've got an omelette set in pastry. Not bad, but lacking the rounded flavour needed for a satisfying dish. I made a six portion piece and I'm having the last slice two days later and it's just as lovely. Not a success for the eyes but a winner for the taste buds. In the end I had enough ingredients leftover for cheese biscuits.
I used roughly 70g leftover gruyère, finely grated, 100g butter chilled and cubed and 100g plain flour. For seasoning I added 1tsp thyme leaves and 1/2tsp smoked paprika. I rubbed the ingredients into a breadcrumb consistency and brought the dough together. Then I rolled the dough into a sausage shape, wrapped it in clingfilm and left it to firm up in the fridge overnight.
Next morning I took out the firm dough (half an hour will do, I just made it last thing) and set the oven to 190/fan170/gas5. I sliced the dough into thin rounds, about 3mm and baked them for 5mins. The result was crumbly, warming and very, very cheesy. Not quite breakfast material but a lovely late morning snack. speaking of snacks I'm a little peckish. Back in a moment...
That's better. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Tuesday.
Next morning I took out the firm dough (half an hour will do, I just made it last thing) and set the oven to 190/fan170/gas5. I sliced the dough into thin rounds, about 3mm and baked them for 5mins. The result was crumbly, warming and very, very cheesy. Not quite breakfast material but a lovely late morning snack. speaking of snacks I'm a little peckish. Back in a moment...
That's better. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Tuesday.
Tuesday I woke pleased with my success and hungry so I went back to the supermarket (with tip money, I must add!) and bought more bread flour and tinned cherry tomatoes. There was leftover mozzarella in the fridge from last week's pesto/pasta (I was moving, had little cooking time) and had pizza on the brain.
Once again, if you make your base from scratch it will taste better and be more cost effective. It costs about £2.00 for a large margherita pizza from asda. £1.00 for bread flour and you've enough dough for six pizzas, which you can chill and even freeze in advance. 50p for a good tin of Italian tomatoes and you've got a sauce base. It's proper passata if you strain it afterwards but I prefer to stick blend it for a very quick, thick sauce.
Finely slice a medium white onion and four fat cloves of garlic. Fry them off in a deep saucepan slowly and gently until caramelised. At this point I chuck in 1/2 tsp chilli flakesfor a little kick and fry for another minute or so. Then add two tins tomatoes and two tinfuls of water (gets out all that juice from the tin and makes it a sauce). Season well and bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid askew for at least an hour, more if you have time. If you're making a dough base it'll take roughly as long as proving the dough and warm up the kitchen which encourages the yeast. Essentially the two actions dovetail into your day with ease. When the sauce is nearly done get your seasoning ingredients out, line them up and taste. I usually add a little red wine if I have it and a tbsp balsamic. If it's too acidic I balance it with a little caster sugar. You may not believe this, but ketchup also works, just don't tell your foodie friends. They'll never know. For a fine finish strain it or if you're not fussy just blitz it. Set aside enough for pizzas and store the rest. I like it with grilled polenta, and pasta will do. Or just toast homemade bread for dipping after a late shift.
Okay, the pizza dough I used was lovely but the ingredients ratio (1kg flour, 650g water plus oil, sugar and yeast) was far too much for my kitchen, which is best described as bijoux. Yeast water went everywhere. Jamie's a nice man but he's clearly never worked in an apartment kitchen. I salvaged enough dough to continue but Jamie's method works far better in a small space with 500g flour and 300ml water mix, as I did this morning to make a loaf of bread. You can add more water if the dough's a bit dry. Also make sure to make a very large well in the flour, much bigger than you think you need.
After that all it takes is toppings and ten minutes in a hot oven. Don't drown the base if you want it crisp. Just 1tbsp sauce, a little mozzarella and some flavourings scattered and dinner is served!
Once again, if you make your base from scratch it will taste better and be more cost effective. It costs about £2.00 for a large margherita pizza from asda. £1.00 for bread flour and you've enough dough for six pizzas, which you can chill and even freeze in advance. 50p for a good tin of Italian tomatoes and you've got a sauce base. It's proper passata if you strain it afterwards but I prefer to stick blend it for a very quick, thick sauce.
Finely slice a medium white onion and four fat cloves of garlic. Fry them off in a deep saucepan slowly and gently until caramelised. At this point I chuck in 1/2 tsp chilli flakesfor a little kick and fry for another minute or so. Then add two tins tomatoes and two tinfuls of water (gets out all that juice from the tin and makes it a sauce). Season well and bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid askew for at least an hour, more if you have time. If you're making a dough base it'll take roughly as long as proving the dough and warm up the kitchen which encourages the yeast. Essentially the two actions dovetail into your day with ease. When the sauce is nearly done get your seasoning ingredients out, line them up and taste. I usually add a little red wine if I have it and a tbsp balsamic. If it's too acidic I balance it with a little caster sugar. You may not believe this, but ketchup also works, just don't tell your foodie friends. They'll never know. For a fine finish strain it or if you're not fussy just blitz it. Set aside enough for pizzas and store the rest. I like it with grilled polenta, and pasta will do. Or just toast homemade bread for dipping after a late shift.
Okay, the pizza dough I used was lovely but the ingredients ratio (1kg flour, 650g water plus oil, sugar and yeast) was far too much for my kitchen, which is best described as bijoux. Yeast water went everywhere. Jamie's a nice man but he's clearly never worked in an apartment kitchen. I salvaged enough dough to continue but Jamie's method works far better in a small space with 500g flour and 300ml water mix, as I did this morning to make a loaf of bread. You can add more water if the dough's a bit dry. Also make sure to make a very large well in the flour, much bigger than you think you need.
After that all it takes is toppings and ten minutes in a hot oven. Don't drown the base if you want it crisp. Just 1tbsp sauce, a little mozzarella and some flavourings scattered and dinner is served!
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